Sunday, March 31, 2013

Easter Sunday in Escazu

We awoke this morning to sunshine, birdsong, and a cool breeze. This is our first morning in Escazu, and it is Easter Sunday. We both had a very good night's sleep - something we had lacked in Atenas due to the street noise. It was actually cool enough for a light blanket!

Our hosts, Pilar and Xavier Vela, prepared a delicious breakfast at a festive table outside on a shaded terrace. We shared the meal with a young couple from Germany who were only staying at Casa de las Tias for one night. Pilar joined us partway through the meal.

Backyard of Casa de las Tias, Escazu, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

Terrace set for breakfast, Casa de las Tias, Escazu, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

Festive table, Easter Sunday, Casa de las Tias. (Photo by Connie)

We enjoyed a breakfast of fresh fruit, freshly squeezed orange juice, special scrambled eggs made with corn, potato, and tortilla, along with fresh bread, cheese, ham, and delicious coffee. Conversation with the couple from Germany and our hostess, Pilar, covered subjects as diverse as cultural differences and Mexican cuisine.

After breakfast, we explored the Casa's backyard, with its many fruit trees and other interesting plantings, and with a quaint blue bridge that crosses over a culvert.

Bob and Connie, backyard bridge, Casa de las Tias, Escazu, Costa Rica.

 

Later in the morning, and well into the afternoon, we explored the immediate area by foot. Being Sunday and a holiday, businesses and most restaurants were closed. Below is a street scene, a few blocks from where we are staying.

Church and Colonial Plaza, Escazu, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

Around two o'clock we got hungry. We found only one open restaurant and we returned there for lunch. D'Amalfi Restaurante is an upscale Italian restaurant in the Atlantis Plaza, about two blocks from the Casa. We has a delicious Easter lunch of Caesar salad, a special gnocchi dish, flan with strawberries, and coffee. This will probably serve as our supper as well.

D'Amalfi Restaurante, Escazu, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

Connie at D'Amalfi Restaurante, Escazu, Costa Rica (Photo by Bob)

Flan con Fresas - a work of art - D'Amalfi Restaurante, Escazu. (Photo by Bob)

 

Now, it is evening. As I write this blog, we are sitting in the covered porch on the front of the house. The air is cool and refreshing and there is a gentle breeze. The sound of cicadas ( or possibly tree frogs?) fills the night air. Life is good. La Pura Vida!

 

Saturday, March 30, 2013

From Atenas to Escazu

Saturday, March 30

All packed and ready to go, we made our last trip around Atenas, touching base at our favorite spots. We walked to Kay's for breakfast, with hugs and fond farewells to Kay, who said "I hope you come back next year." Later, we said a quick goodbye to Hisano, who stopped by quickly, on her way to San Jose with her family. Then, a last lunch at Antano - the restaurant around the corner where we ate most of our meals. And, finally a goodbye and thank you to our landlord, the dental surgeon, Dr. Rodrigo Urena Bogantes.

Then, our taxi arrived, loaded up our four-plus bags, and off we went - riding down winding Route 3 off the mountain and into the Central Valley. Today the toll road into San Jose was closed to outbound, or eastbound, traffic, and we drove toward San Jose in a lane normally reserved for traffic going in the other direction - an eerie feeling. The road is set up this way for today and tomorrow to accommodate all the return traffic of vacationers coming home from the Pacific beaches. The ride to Escazu took about 45 minutes.

Entering Escazu and driving down a main street, we are struck by how many American business establishments we see - Walmart, Outback Steak House, Westin, Tony Roma's, T.G.I.Friday, MacDonald's, and more. This does not gladden my heart. These places are fine (I suppose) back home, but we came to Costa Rica to experience Costa Rica. Fortunately, we got what we wanted in our lodgings.

We Have Arrived!

Finally, we are here in Escazu. The taxi driver found our lodgings easily. We are staying at Casa de las Tias, a charming B&B at the end of a lane leading from a busy main street. This brightly painted and beautifully landscaped house is, according to owner Xavier Vela, a Cape Cod Cottage style home with Victorian touches. It is also very influenced by Costa Rican culture and by the homelands of our hosts - Colombia and New Mexico. The interior decor is as charming as the exterior.

Casa de las Tias, Escazu, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

Bob at the entrance of Casa de las Tias, Escazu, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

The Casa is surrounded with lovely gardens, which we have only begun to explore. (Photo by Connie)

Casa de las Tias (House of the Aunts) has only five guest rooms. We are staying in the one called the Jr. Suite. It is very spacious, with a king-sized bed, couch, table & two chairs, a mini-bar with sink and microwave, and its own (small) bathroom.

Jr. Suite, Casa de las Tia's, Escazu, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

Each room here is decorated in a different theme. Our room is done in a Guatamalan motif. The main theme piece is a wall hanging of a Guatemalan wedding blouse, exquisitely embroidered. The entire house has a rustic and charming hacienda-type feel to it.

Guatamalan wedding blouse (huipil), Casa de las Tias, Escazu, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

We arrived mid-afternoon, while the owner-hosts, Xavier and Pilar, were out. An employee showed us to our room. We had a short conversation with Xavier when he returned, and we got some suggestions for a dinner restaurant. We ended up going to a Chinese restaurant at the end of the lane - Mil Sabores (Thousand Flavors). We had a challenge reading and understanding this very extensive Chinese food menu written in Spanish. Turns out, we ordered way more than we could eat, and the food was OK but not great. It was a relief, though, to eat a different style of cuisine than we have had this past month. Not all restaurants were open today, the last day of Semana Santos. Tomorrow is Easter. After that, we will have a great many restaurants to choose from.

Tonight only two of the five rooms are taken, the other by a young German couple who are catching a plane home tomorrow afternoon. It is quiet here, even though we are only one and a half blocks from a main road. It is a relief after the constant traffic and street noise of Atenas. We hope it stays that way. We are hitting the sack early, hoping to catch up on our sleep. The main sound we hear right now is the songs of either tree frogs or cicadas - a very peaceful and soothing white noise.

 

From Atenas to Escazu

Saturday, March 30

All packed and ready to go, we made our last trip around Atenas, touching base at our favorite spots. We walked to Kay's for breakfast, with hugs and find farewells to Kay, who said "I hope you come back next year." Later, we said a quick goodbye to Hisano, who stopped by quickly, on her way to San Jose with her family. Then, a last lunch at Antano - the restaurant around the corner where we ate most of our meals. And, finally a goodbye and thank you to our landlord, the dental surgeon, Dr. Rodrigo Urena Bogantes.

Then, our taxi arrived, loaded up our four-plus bags, and off we went - riding down winding Route 3 off the mountain and into the Central Valley. Today the toll road into San Jose was closed to outbound, or eastbound, traffic, and we drove toward San Jose in a lane normally reserved for traffic going in the other direction - an eerie feeling. The road is set up this way for today and tomorrow to accommodate all the return traffic of vacationers coming home from the Pacific beaches. The ride to Escazu took about 45 minutes.

We Have Arrived!

Finally, we are here in Escazu. The taxi driver found our lodgings easily. We are staying at Casa de las Tias, a charming B&B at the end of a lane leading from a busy main street. This brightly painted and beautifully landscaped house is, according to owner Xavier Vela, a Cape Cod Cottage style home with Victorian touches.

Casa de las Tias, Escazu, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

Bob at the entrance of Casa de las Tias, Escazu, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

The Casa is surrounded with lovely gardens, which we have only begun to explore. (Photo by Connie)

Casa de las Tias (House of the Aunts) has only five guest rooms. We are staying in the one called the Jr. Suite. It is very spacious, with a king-sized bed, couch, table & two chairs, a mini-bar with sink and microwave, and its own (small) bathroom.

Jr. Suite, Casa de las Tia's, Escazu, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

Each room here is decorated in a different theme. Our room is done in a Guatamalan motif. The main theme piece is a wall hanging of a Guatemalan wedding blouse, exquisitely embroidered. The entire house has a rustic and charming hacienda-type feel to it.

Guatamalan wedding blouse (huipil), Casa de las Tias, Escazu, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

We arrived mid-afternoon, while the owner-hosts, Xavier and Pilar, were out. An employee showed us to our room. We had a short conversation with Xavier when he returned, and we got some suggestions for a dinner restaurant. We ended up going to a Chinese restaurant at the end of the lane - Mil Sabores (Thousand Flavors). We had a challenge reading and understanding this very extensive Chinese food menu written in Spanish. Turns out, we ordered way more than we could eat, and the food was OK but not great. It was a relief, though, to eat a different style of cuisine than we have had this past month. Not all restaurants were open today, the last day of Semana Santos. Tomorrow is Easter. After that, we will have a great many restaurants to choose from.

Tonight only two of the five rooms are taken, the other by a young German couple who are catching a plane home tomorrow afternoon. It is quiet here, even though we are only one and a half blocks from a main road. It is a relief after the constant traffic and street noise of Atenas. We hope it stays that way. We are hitting the sack early, hoping to catch up on our sleep. The main sound we hear right now is the songs of either tree frogs or cicadas - a very peaceful and soothing white noise.

 

Friday, March 29, 2013

Good Friday in Atenas

Friday, March 29

As I begin this post, it is morning, around 9 am. We have had our breakfast, and I am sitting on the shaded balcony off our second floor apartment, again enjoying the special view of the volcanic mountains and the valley below. The web of wires tends to obscure the view in photos, but our eyes have learned to ignore them now and focus on the spectacular panoramic view. In the distance, I can see a fire burning across the valley. This is a common occurrence and nothing to be alarmed about. Someone is burning off a sugar cane field, probably with a plan to harvest the cane either tomorrow or Monday.

View from our balcony on Good Friday, 2013. Atenas, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

It is a sunny, warm, blue-sky day with a few puffy white clouds in the sky. It is quite windy, which keeps things cool, especially in the shade. There are also white clouds hugging the tops of the mountains, which has been the case almost every day we have been here. There have only been about three days in March when the clouds were gone from the summit of Poas in the morning, and it was our very lucky good fortune that the day we made the trip to the Poas crater was one of those three days.

Today is Good Friday - a national holiday here as well as a religious one. I can hear, from the occasional sounds of music drifting this way, that there is a Mass going on at the big church around the corner. The street below our balcony is unusually quiet - just an occasional car going by, not the steady stream of cars, trucks, buses, souped-up motorcycles and other vehicles. Many Ateneans have left for the holidays, most all businesses are closed, and this place is a little reminiscent of a ghost town. This may well change as the day goes on.

This is our last full day in Atenas. We leave tomorrow around 2:00 pm for Escazu and the last six days of our vacation in Costa Rica. This is a day for practical things such as laundry, packing, and cleaning the apartment. It is also a day for revisiting our favorite haunts (to the extent we can when so many establishments are closed), reflecting on our time here, and planning for our return home.

Later....

It is evening now. We took a lovely walk in the twilight. The wind has been blowing all day, and the hills and mountains are now in more sharp relief. The town has been quiet all day, but now people are returning from their two or more days away. Traffic noise and street conversations are increasing.

We had planned to go to our favorite restaurant for our "last supper" here, but when we got there, Antano's was closed. A block or two away, there was a pizza joint open, and we ordered a small pizza to go - a Tocineta pizza. Tocineta, as it turns out, means bacon. It is pretty tasty.

We are sitting in our living room, eating pizza and looking out at all the twinkling lights in the valley and across the way on the slopes of the volcanoes. It is a beautiful night. One to remember.

Semana Santos in Atenas

Our final week in Atenas coincides with Semana Santos - Holy Week, the week from Palm Sunday to Easter. (It also coincides with part of Passover, which began on Monday evening, March 25.) For Costa Ricans, Semana Santos is the biggest holiday of the year - bigger than Christmas or New Year's or any other holiday. Schools are closed for the week. Thursday and Friday - Maundy Thursday and Good Friday - are national holidays. Banks, post offices, and other government functions are closed, as are most retail stores and restaurants. Buses are on reduced holiday schedules.

Semana Santos is also a big vacation week for Costa Ricans. Many go away on vacation. The ones who live inland often head for the beaches, especially the mid-coast Pacific beaches. The ones who live near the beaches might go inland to the big cities or to tourist spots in the mountains. Playas del Coco, the Guanacaste beach town where we spent February, is probably swarming in tourists this week. Atenas is not a tourist destination, and things are a little quieter here than usual.

For us, this holiday week has limited our mobility outside Atenas, for sightseeing, and has somewhat limited our options here in Atenas as well. On the other hand, it has provided us with opportunities for rest and reflection on our two months here in Costa Rica. And though we are in Atenas for this Holy Week, we will not be here for Easter itself. We leave Saturday for Escazu, our next and final destination in Costa Rica, and we will experience Easter there.

The big Catholic Church in town - the only church we've seen here so far - is a block away from where we are staying. We hear the bells, which have been chiming a lot all month, which I assume is related to the Lenten period. There have been services every day. Sometimes we can hear the music played during the Mass, perhaps even part of the priest's homily, which appears to be broadcast on a sound system during major services.

Catholic Church, Atenas, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)
 

Ever since we arrived here, we have noticed that many homes have in front of them a wooden cross draped with beautiful purple cloth, as does the church as well. This is not a custom I have observed in the states, but it seems similar to the Christmas wreaths we use, which were originally a symbol of Advent.

Draped cross, Easter season, Catholic Church, Atenas, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

 

On Palm Sunday, in the late morning, we witnessed, from our balcony, a procession of about a hundred people heading toward the church. The people in the lead were dressed in the costume of ancient shepherds. The procession reminded me of the Christmas Pageant we have in our small home town each year. Only, the featured persona was a statue of a robed and crowned king, seated in a throne, carried aloft by a few men. Presumably, the statue is meant to represent Christ entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. (I am not a Catholic and am not as knowledgable as I could be about these Easter holidays, so please forgive any inaccuracies.)

Later that evening, as we were enjoying dinner with a friend at a nearby outdoor restaurant, we began to hear chanting, which came closer and closer. Across the street, we saw a small band of people coming along the sidewalk, chanting. They walked up to a house - one with a cross and purple cloth draped on it - and began to sing. This was reminiscent of Christmas caroling back home. As we walked back to our apartment and were approaching home, this group - or another like it - was walking by our place, chanting and singing. They paused and sang a little and then moved on, serenading each home until they turned the corner and headed up the street towards the church.

On Monday afternoon, we were standing on our balcony when we began to hear the sounds of a horn blowing. This sound went on for quite a while. I said to Bob, "that's strange. That sounds like a Shofar." A Shofar is a special horn, usually a ram's horn, that is blown on special occasions in the Jewish religion. We googled Passover and discovered that the first day of Passover would begin that evening at sundown. I wondered, and still wonder, if there was any connection between the sound of that horn and either Passover or Easter. We have not seen any evidence of a Jewish community in Atenas. And the percentage of the population in Costa Rica that is Jewish is less than 1%, while the percentage that is Catholic is over 70% and the total percentage that are Christian is over 90%. Well, speculation about the blowing of the horn is a puzzle we probably won't solve.

Later, a P.S...

It is three days later and most of Semana Santos is over. We have now been through the two national holidays - Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. They have been a very quiet two days. Now it is Good Friday evening. Below us, we can hear families returning from their holiday, unpacking, laughing and talking.

These have been slow days for us, with time for reflection and deep conversations. We are both ready to leave - not only Atenas but also Costa Rica - though I am guessing that our last few days in Escazu will be interesting too. But we are missing home and ready to be back - ready to resume our regular lives together, our relationship stronger than ever. (We passed the one-year anniversary of our living together at the beginning of March.) Adelante!

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Our Last Thursday in Atenas

Thursday, March 28

The intense heat has subsided. It is sunny and fairly clear, and there is a fresh wind blowing. When we awoke, we were once again able to see the mountains - Poas and Barva - with only a thin line of cloud cover at the tops. After a noisy evening last night, we also awoke to the strange sound of silence - or at least way less traffic noise than usual. Today is a national holiday. It is Maundy Thursday.

Although almost no stores or restaurants are open today, we set out this morning hoping to find coffee at Musmanni, and we did. We took our coffee to go and went to the Central Park to drink it. Across the street, in the Catholic Church, there was no Mass this morning, and a band was practicing there. We sat in the shade, drinking coffee, watching people go by, listening to the music, and having an interesting conversation about religion in general.

Parque Central, Church at end of walk, Atenas, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

 

Around noon we met up with the woman who had been the rental agent for our apartment - Hisano Bell. We met for lunch at Antano's - one of the two restaurants in town that were open on this holiday. Hisano is a Japanese-American woman who has lived in Costa Rica for several years. She owns a Casa a few kilometers from downtown Atenas, where she rents out a casita and a couple of rooms to guests year round. She also manages the guest apartment in downtown Atenas where we are staying.

Bob and Hisano at lunch at Atano Restaurante, Atenas, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

 

We had a very long lunch over which we lingered with fascinating conversations that covered cultural differences and similarities, relationships, life in Costa Rica, our own professional journeys, our families, and more. By the time our time together ended, more than three hours later, we had become friends with a very special woman with a fascinating story to tell. We all regretted that we had not gotten to know each other sooner.

There is something very special about the ex-pats and repeat winter snowbirds that we have met in Costa Rica. Most are semi-retired or retired, with interesting professions in their past or present. Many have been world travelers whose perspectives range even beyond their home country and Costa Rica. Most are actively engaged with life in Costa Rica. And most we have met are strong, hardy, confident individuals who are very adaptable and able to cope well with challenges. We have met many interesting people here - Gringos and Ticos - and I will miss them when we finally fly home.

 

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Fun at Kay's in Atenas

This morning we headed off to Kay's Gringo Postres for breakfast. We have written about Kay's in other blog posts. To this open-air cafe/library on the outskirts of Atenas, we have come frequently for breakfast. We enjoy the food, the camaraderie, and the strong wifi signal. Kay, herself, is a wonderful presence there - knowledgable, friendly, and warmly welcoming. Like the famous fictional bar, Cheers, Kay's is a place where they always know your name.

This morning, Bob was showing Kay the videos he shot the day we went to Poas and La Paz, with Kay's friend Walter Ramirez as our driver and guide.

Bob, and Kay Costello, at Kay's Gringo Postres, Atenas, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

 

As we were getting ready to leave, Kay told us about a special event she was hosting that evening - Italian Night. Dinner and dancing from 5:30 to 10:30 pm. The meal would be catered by a guest chef and the music for dancing would be provided by a local DJ. We immediately said, "Count us in!" And lucky us, we snagged the last two tickets.

So tonight, we dressed up just a tad, brought or wore our dancing shoes, and headed over to Kay's. We shared a table with four other "gringos" - all of whom are Canadian (two from Prince Edward Island and two from Vancouver B.C.). All have spent several years wintering in Atenas. Delightful dinner companions, they were full of information and stories about life in Costa Rica.

The catered dinner included a Waldorf salad, followed by a Caesar salad, then the main course - Chicken Marsala with wild rice and grilled tomato - and Tiramasu for desert (all delicious!).

And, the dancing was fun! The music was a little loud, but Bob compensated by using his custom-made earplugs. We had a great time dancing to a variety of recorded songs, including some tunes from the 50's (Hey, STM friends - some practice for our show in May! - BeBop a loo la, be my baby - and don't you dare step on my blue suede shoes, especially in the still of the night!)

 

Parque Central - Atenas, Costa Rica

by Bob

One week from today, we will be leaving Atenas for Escazu for a few days before heading home to spring and New England.

We have been thinking about stuff like:


Could we see ourselves living in Costa Rica? No.


Could we see ourselves returning for a month or two of winter escape? Maybe.


What was the best thing about El Coco or Atenas? Here is my answer for Atenas. The Central Park, Parque Central.




And so I have made a video to capture that best thing about Atenas.

 

Friday, March 22, 2013

Atenas on a Friday - Road Construction & Farmers' Market

After last night's rain, things cooled off a little and we took off for a long early morning walk. Our walk again took us to the construction site on the new road out of Atenas. (See March 13 post, "Is Progress Really a Good Thing?"' for earlier description of this road construction project.)

When we climbed the ridge to get a view of the construction, we saw that they are still chipping away at the hill to make the road wider. The large backhoe working on this operation was perilously close to the edge and it seemed entirely possible to both of us that if he dug away one more scoop full of dirt, the machine would come tumbling down the side of the hill.

Bob photographing road construction, Atenas, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

 

Backhoe perilously close to the edge during road construction, Atenas. (Photo by Connie)

 

I couldn't watch anymore! We walked back to town on the new road. By now, the sun was high and it was very hot. When will we learn to bring agua with us whenever we go for a walk!?

 

Later in the morning, we visited the Atenas Farmers' Market which happens every Friday morning. Vendors set up their stands along sidewalks bordering two shady sides of the school playground.

Atenas Friday Farmers' Market. (Video by Bob)

 

I saw those flowers and had to buy some. The vendor and I had a little difficulty in communicating about the price, but it all worked out. (The two bunches cost me 3 mil - 3000 colones or $6.) We now have two beautiful flower arrangements in our condo.

Buying flowers at the Atenas Farmers' Market. (Video by Bob)

 

 

 

 

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Rain!

Thursday, March 21 (first day of Spring)

 

The BIGGEST event of today was RAIN! We were watching TV about 7:30 this evening when we heard an unusual sound. We looked up and out the sliding glass door to the balcony, and there it was, coming down in sheets.

 

We have been in Costa Rica for seven and a half weeks now, and this is the first rain we've had in this dry season. The rain didn't last long - maybe 10-15 minutes. Some passing vehicles didn't even use windshield wipers. But for us, it was a "Happening" worthy of note.

Living in Costa Rica - Some Random Thoughts

Thursday, March 21 (first day of Spring)

We have been in Costa Rica for seven weeks now. We return home two weeks from tomorrow. We have been living in condos, both with ample space for us - more, in fact, than we have at home - and kitchen and laundry facilities and other conveniences. But we are not living resort-style or in high-end quarters. In El Coco, we lived in a condo development that did cater a lot to Gringos, although Ticos did live, or vacation, there too. In Atenas, we are living in the center of town in a Tico neighborhood. We have been living a middle-class Tico lifestyle, and this gives us a good vantage point from which to compare life here with life at home in our small condo in our small town by the sea in Massachusetts.

As Bob and I have conversations about our time here, and question whether or not we would return next year, I have been thinking a lot about life in Costa Rica - what I love and appreciate about being here and what I am coming to love and appreciate even more about my life back home. So, here are some of my random thoughts about living in Costa Rica.

Weather

We came to Costa Rica primarily to bypass at least part of the long, cold, dark, snowy winter in New England. And that we have done, in spades! It has been sunny almost every day. (Today has been cloudy and hazy.) We have certainly gotten our RDA of Vitamin D. We came during the dry season here, and until this evening we had not had any rain - not in Coco, not in Atenas, not even in the two "cloud forests" we have visited. We wanted warm weather, and for the most part we have gotten hot weather. Even Atenas, which is purported to be in the 70's year 'round, has been in the high 80's lately. (Only here, there is no A/C.) The extreme heat in both areas has cramped our style a bit. We had hoped to do a lot more walking.

So, what I love about living in Costa Rica is the sunshine and the warmth. I love being able to dress in summer clothes. I love being around green leaves and beautiful, colorful flowers. I love the profusion of birds and birdsong. I love eating al fresco - almost everywhere. What I don't love is the hot, hot weather - the days over 80 or 85. And there have been a lot of them, especially in El Coco, but also here sometimes in Atenas. And I miss the rain - sometimes - the warm, soft, gentle rains that come in summer back home. I don't miss the snow, ice, and freezing weather!

Volcanos, Earthquakes, and Landslides

Visiting inactive or low-level active volcanos is a big part of the tourist trade in Costa Rica. All well and good, except that every so often a volcano in Costa Rica seriously blows its top - often without warning. Arenal Volcano blew up in 1968 and wiped out a nearby town. We visited Poas a few days ago, and watched steam pouring out of fumaroles in the still active main crater. I found the crater fascinating, but was also grateful to have left without incident.

Even more often, there is an earthquake here in Costa Rica. One of our tour guides told us that there is a big earthquake here about every five years - big enough to do serious damage. And there are smaller quakes and tremors several times a year. There was a big one in Guanacaste in November of 2012 - a mere four months ago. This quake was felt all over the country. We saw the effects of this quake both in El Coco and in San Jose. We missed being in it by only two months. We haven't experienced a quake yet. Let's hope we miss that fun adventure.

Then there are the very frequent mudslides that happen during the rainy season, sometimes blocking roads or damaging houses or other property. In 2010, twenty people were killed in a mudslide that buried parts of Escazu - a town just outside San Jose that we will be visiting for six days just before we fly home.

For the people of Costa Rica, the chances of experiencing at least one of these events during their lifetime is great. I know we also have our weather and geologic events in the USA - earthquakes, tornados, hurricanes, floods, blizzards, and a rare volcanic eruption - but the odds of being affected by one of these events are much lower back home than they are here. How do Ticos live with the ever-present threat of these disruptive and damaging events and still maintain their sense of La Pura Vida?

Water

Fortunately, the areas of Costa Rica we have lived in or visited have potable drinking water. But the infrastructure here around water delivery needs work. We have lost water or water pressure many times, both in El Coco and Atenas. Sometimes the water is off for an hour or two, sometimes for almost a whole day. And the times of water loss seem random and unpredictable. Also, running hot water is pretty rare. We get some warm water in the showers, but nowhere else. Laundry and dishes are washed in cold water.

I have a new appreciation of the water quality and the water delivery systems back home in the States.

Bathroom Issues

Septic systems or sewage systems in Costa Rica aren't quite up to snuff either. I don't even want to know how bathroom waste is handled here. But here is the text of a sign that is posted opposite the toilets in our two bathrooms in Atenas; and something similar is posted in most all public bathrooms:

Please put the TOILET PAPER, etc. in the TRASH CAN, not in the toilet basin. Costa Rican septic system is different. Thank you!

This practice seemed pretty disgusting to me when I first got to Costa Rica, but now it doesn't seem so bad, as long as the waste cans are covered and emptied frequently. Perhaps it is even a good idea? Perhaps following this practice would improve our septic and sewage treatment facilities too?

Electricity

The electrical power supply is the same type as we have in the States, so our electronic and electrical gadgets do not require adapters and work fine here. That is the plus side. The electrical infrastructure here in Costa Rica needs work, in two ways. One: we lose power every so often. We have lost power both in El Coco and in Atenas. As is the case with the water supply, these outages are random and come without warning. Two: in some places, the electrical wiring is jury-rigged and can be dangerous. There does not appear to be a code that everyone must follow. We have not encountered problems with this in the places we have rented, but have encountered them elsewhere. For example, one day while walking along the street in Atenas, I almost ran into a low-hanging wire with bare wire exposed at the end.

I have a new appreciation of the electrical power infrastructure we have in the States.

Noise and Quiet

Here in Atenas, we live on a street that is quite noisy, even though it is not a main thoroughfare in town. All sorts of vehicles pass by here - trucks, buses, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, horses (yes, occasionally horses!) - and many of the motorized vehicles have souped-up engines. The guys around here really seem to enjoy showing off their stuff! We also have a car next door whose car alarm seems to go off many times a day - often triggered by all the souped-up vehicles. We also have church bells pealing hourly and multiple loud conversations in the street and occasional loud music and parties and sounds of house repairs. We are often in conversation that we have to suspend until the noise passes. Quiet hours here are about midnight (later on Saturdays) to about 4 am, when the roosters start crowing and the neighborhood and town start to stir.

I love, appreciate, and miss our quiet street and town back home!

Open Windows

In Atenas, there are no screens on our windows or doors. Our windows, and the sliding glass door to the balcony, are left open a lot. Theft is not an issue for us in Atenas because we are on the second floor. And the marvel of it all is that, so far at least, no insects or animals (birds, bats, squirrels, lizards, etc) have come inside. This open-air living is delightful!

Food, Grocery Shopping, and Eating Out

We have found the food in Costa Rica to be tasty and nutritious. I haven't had a meal I would describe as "wonderful" or "very delicious", but I also have never had a meal I would label as "bad" or "awful". The typical Tico meal that one would order here would include fruit, fried plantain, fresh vegetables, rice, beans, a meat (chicken, fish, pork, or beef), a spot of cheese, and a tortilla. We have fallen in love with the fresh and cold fruit drinks made with the fruit, or fruits, of your choice, water, ice, and sometimes some sugar. Bob's favorite is made with lemon (batido de limonada); my favorite is made with strawberries, water, and no added sugar (batido de fresas en agua sin azucar).

Shopping in the grocery stores has been an adventure. We found one supermarket in El Coco that was similar to the markets back home and carried many of the brands we are familiar with. But we paid a high price for that. All imported grocery items are taxed, and therefore are high-priced items. The local foods, such as fresh produce and products grown in Costa Rica, are reasonably priced. Overall, we have spent more in grocery stores here than we have back home. Also, finding our way around the aisles, finding the foods we want, and reading the labels have been challenging activities - or, framed another way, fun learning activities.

I do miss and appreciate our supermarkets back home.

For the most part, given our limited kitchen facilities, we have eaten most of our meals out. We try to have at least one meal at home each day, usually either breakfast or lunch, but occasionally dinner. In El Coco, the variety and number of restaurants there made it fun, but more expensive. In Atenas, we have relatively few restaurants to choose from, which has become a little boring, but the prices have been very reasonable. Here, we find that eating out is less expensive than buying our food and eating at home.

I am looking forward to being back home and shopping for and cooking our own meals - at least for a while.

Sidewalks, Roads, and Driving.

We are both walkers, and walking around El Coco and Atenas has been challenging. The sidewalks are either non-existent or horrendous. The surfaces are inconsistent, uneven, sometimes containing holes and other obstacles. There are drainage ditches of various sizes between the sidewalks and the roads, which are real hazards to walkers and drivers alike. If one walks in the road, instead of on the sidewalk, one faces the hazards posed by vehicles that often pass perilously close to pedestrians.

As for the roads themselves, most are narrow, two-lane roads with no shoulders or guard rails and deep ditches or ravines on both sides. Many secondary roads are still gravel and can be treacherous to drive. Except for the major highways (many still only one lane in each direction), most roads do not have painted lines down the middle or along the sides. Passing is rarely prohibited here, even on steep, narrow, very curvy mountain roads. Passing another vehicle is a dangerous activity, though many Tico drivers do this way too often. And, yes, the accident rate is high here.

One thing I will NOT miss about Costa Rica is the sidewalks, roads, and hazardous driving. I come away with a much greater appreciation of our well-maintained sidewalks and roads and our government-regulated rules of the road.

Transportation

As an American, I am spoiled. At home, I have a car and I can go anywhere. We also have other good transportation systems - trains, planes, buses, subways, and more. We are here in Costa Rica on a budget. We cannot afford a rental car here (about $65 per day). There is an extensive bus system here, and that is how most Ticos get around. Automobiles are very expensive here, and many Ticos cannot afford them. They take buses for long-distance travel and taxis for very local travel. Taxis are plentiful here and local travel is affordable. But longer trips by taxi or with a private driver can cost upwards of $15-20 an hour.

We have been traveling mostly by public bus and local taxi. But we have hired a private driver three times since we have been here. We also walk a lot locally. But we could see so much more from an automobile. If cost weren't an issue, I would either rent a car or hire a private driver more often. But, our budget does not allow for this.

I love my/our car and I miss it. One more thing I will no longer take for granted when I get home.

Feeling Safe

Although Costa Rica is a country without a military, and although most Ticos are polite, relaxed, helpful, warm people, there is here - at the same time - a feeling of insecurity In the air. As mentioned in other blog posts, the big cities and the tourist sites, the airports, buses and bus stations are known to have a high rate of pick pocketing and other forms of theft. Gringos and tourists are especially targeted. And the majority of homes here are secured behind walls, fences, and high gates. The official government police presence is pretty low-profile, but private security guards are often in evidence. In El Coco, a tourist town, there were security guards all over the place. Even here in Atenas - a seemingly safe and low-crime area - there is a security guard posted at the bank. (This is common all over Costa Rica.) And the sound of car alarms going off is pretty prevalent.

If you hang out at a restaurant that caters to Gringos - such as Kay's - you will hear stories of passports and wallets being stolen, houses being broken into, cars being stolen or broken into, and the like. There is a dark underbelly to this land of warmth and light. I know we have our share of crime back in the states, but I never feel as nervous and "on guard" as I feel here.

I definitely will NOT miss this frequent feeling of apprehension. I look forward to being able to walk around my town back home without worrying about my purse being snatched. I look forward to living in our condo without worrying about being broken into and robbed. I look forward to being able to leave items in my locked car and not finding my windows smashed and the contents stolen.

Our Atenas Apartment

I love the size and layout of our apartment in Atenas. I would furnish and decorate it differently and would add more storage in the kitchen and a dryer in the laundry area. But what I love about it is the spaciousness - the two bedrooms and two full baths, the huge walk-in dressing room, and the rain-protected balcony with the view of the mountains and the valley lit up at night. The location is noisy, and that is the main drawback. If I could magically take some features back to our smaller, but lovely, condo, I would bring the dressing room, the oversized master bath, the queen-sized bed, and the view from the balcony. I have enjoyed living in this space - even more than in the condo in El Coco, which was also nice - BUT I look forward to returning to our lovely condo back home.

Oh, and our apartment came with once-a-week maid service. This has been a treat, but not one we need to repeat back home. Both Bob and I take pride in cleaning our home and have no objections to doing it ourselves.

Language and Currency

One can survive here, in most places, without speaking Spanish, but it is much better to be able to speak it. I know a few words, phrases, and sentences in Spanish. I can order from a menu, can ask where the bathroom is (Donde esta el bano?), ask for the bill (La cuenta, por favor.), and say a few polite greetings. I can read more Spanish than I can speak. That's about it. Bob speaks quite a bit more Spanish than I do, and that has made our life here much better in terms of navigating around and connecting with the Ticos. If we were to come back here next year - or go to any other Spanish-speaking country - I would learn Spanish!

The Costa Rican currency is in colones. The currency system is a bit unwieldy. One thousand colones (colloquially called one mil) is roughly equivalent to $2 US. Fortunately, the Costa Ricans accept US currency almost everywhere, provided you start with a $20 bill. With this, you get your change in colones, and then can use either to pay most bills. Exception: bus fares. These must be paid in colones. A lot of change is given in coins, and most coins have very little value in terms of US dollars. The biggest coin is 500 colones, which equals roughly one dollar. The smallest coin is only worth a fraction of a cent in US dollars. The coins get heavy to carry around. Bob thinks that Costa Rica should revamp its currency system to make colones denominations equal to US dollars, and eliminate all the useless coins. That probably won't happen. But really, the dual currency system works well, and tourists need not exchange any money before entering the country or after being here a while. Just bring plenty of twenty-dollar bills. And use up your colones before you leave.

Nature and the Environment

I am the original "nature girl." Bob does not quite share my pull to the natural environment; he enjoys the town or city life more. I love Costa Rica for its willingness to preserve its beautiful natural areas, to be stewards of its plants and animals and beautiful natural features. I have loved the parks and preserves we have visited and I wish we could have seen them all. This has been my favorite part of our trip here.

I worry for the Costa Ricans. There is a lot of development going on here, mostly by foreign investors. The land that is not secured in parks and preserves could disappear here, just as it has in our country. I don't like seeing American fast food joints and mega-sized stores here in Costa Rica. (I don't even like seeing them in our country.) I hope The Costa Rican people will resist over-development and retain the Tico flavor that makes this country so special and endearing.

La Pura Vida

I hope the spirit of this National slogan will stay with me always. La Pura Vida - the pure life, the don't-worry-be-happy life, the carpe diem life, the take-it-or-leave-it life, the relaxed, no worries life. This is the best gift of this trip here. I want to bring this philosophy back home as my souvenir and my gift to all my loved ones. La Pura Vida!

Monday, March 18, 2013

Day Trip to Poas & La Paz - Part Two, La Paz Waterfall Gardens

Monday, March 18

We arrive at La Paz Waterfall Gardens and Peace Lodge a little before 11:00 am. The last few miles of road were gravel, with many ruts and potholes; the ride has been pretty bumpy. In addition, we have lost the sunshine we enjoyed earlier in the morning at Poas Volcano. Clouds are moving in, and we will get to experience being in a cloud forest.

(For an account of our visit to Poas, read earlier blog post titled "Day Trip to Poas & La Paz - Part One, Poas Volcano".)

La Paz is billed as a hotel, nature park, and wildlife refuge. The minute we drove up to the Reception building, I knew I was going to fall in love with La Paz, and I did. This is by far the most beautiful spot we have been to in Costa Rica.

La Paz Waterfall Gardens is built on the side of a mountain. It comprises about 70 acres of rainforest in which are scattered overnight accommodations, restaurants, and a series of trails and exhibits. The trail winds downhill from the Reception building, through the developed areas first and then even more steeply down into a rainforest ravine that culminates with a series of waterfalls.

We have paid our entrance fee - $49 each, which includes a buffet lunch for $13. Admission to this private park is pricey compared to the entrance fees at the national parks, but we both agreed afterwards that is worth every penny.

Walter gets us started by showing us the map of La Paz and marking a suggested route for us to follow. There is a lot to see here, and we have only three hours. Walter wants to leave at 2:00 pm, as it is a two-hour drive back home. He does not accompany us through the park. We will meet at the parking lot at two.

Our self-guided tour begins.

Here, too, pictures tell the story with minimum narration in the captions. All photos and videos were shot either by Bob or Connie. Come along with us as we relive this tour in pictures.

We Begin

We exit the Reception building and begin our descent.

Beginning of the trail from the Reception building, La Paz, Costa Rica.

Steep trail leading to Trout Lake and the Aviary, La Paz.

Lush vegetation, bountiful Bougainvillea, and Bob - on the way to Trout Lake, La Paz.

Trout Lake

Our first stop is an area called Trout Lake. This is a bit of a misnomer. The "lake" is actually a series of two man-made pools, one higher than the other. The lower pool, which sits in front of an outdoor bar, is shallow and contains no trout - nor any other living thing. The higher and larger pool is fed by three man-made waterfalls. Between the two pools there is a passageway of simulated rock, and a glass window view into the upper lake in which we see a few trout swimming around. They are in a walled-off section, as the upper pool is also a swimming pool for the Peace Lodge guests.

Bob shooting a video of Trout Lake, La Paz Gardens, Costa Rica. Buildings in the background are Peace Lodge accommodations.

Bob's video - Trout Lake, La Paz

 

The Aviary

Next on the trail is the Aviary - a very large and high enclosure containing a variety of tropical birds. Of particular interest to us were the toucans and the scarlet macaws.

The first birds we encountered were the toucans. I had hoped to see these birds in the wild, but probably won't. But we were in very close quarters with these birds and we each had close encounters of a very personal kind.

Wood-Billed Toucan, up close and personal. La Paz

Bob with toucan, La Paz.

Connie with toucan, La Paz.

Bob shot a video. It doesn't show our personal encounters with the toucans, but it does show the guide Introducing a toucan to other visitors. There are two kinds of toucans here - the Wood-billed Toucan (shown above with both Connie and Bob) and the Rainbow-Billed Toucan, which you will see in the video. This bird is sometimes called the Lipstick-Billed Toucan, and you will see why.

Toucans of La Paz. (Video)

Reluctantly, we left the toucan enclosure and proceeded through the Aviary. We entered a vast space where there were many songbirds and small parrots flying around. Along the way, we came to a large cage containing five Scarlet Macaws. They are kept separate because, as the guide explained, they can be mean - to other birds and to humans.

We learned that these birds mate for life. Here there were two pairs and a single. Oh, oh - trouble in Paradise! The single had been rescued and brought in recently. The staff is looking for a mate for this one. Scarlet Macaws are considered an endangered species in Costa Rica, and efforts are underway in various zoos and rescue centers to breed more and release them back into the wild.

Mated pair of Scarlet Macaws, La Paz

Scarlet Macaws of La Paz. (Video)

 

Butterflies

Next came the butterfly enclosure. We had been to a butterfly place once before on this trip. That one was at Monteverde. The one at La Paz is much larger, with many more butterflies and much more activity.

Entrance to the Butterfly Observatory, La Paz. Couldn't resist photographing those gorgeous stained glass door panels.

Most of the butterflies here are of the same species - the Blue Morpho. There are hundreds of them here. This butterfly has an amazing double-sided camouflage system going on. The tops of their wings are bright blue, and when they are flying they appear to their predators - usually birds flying above them - as sky. When they are resting, with wings closed, the undersides of their wings are brown tones and fit in with the foliage. The patterns on the underside mimic both owls and snakes, which again wards off predators.

Blue Morphos feeding on an orange. Just a tiny hint of blue betrays their camouflage. La Paz.

There are a few other species here. Below are photos of two. I don't have the names for them yet. Watch Bob's video and see if you can spot more.

Butterfly, La Paz

 

Butterfly, La Paz

Butterflies of La Paz. (Video)

One more surprise in the Butterfly Observatory. Tucked away in a side room there is an enclosure containing two sloths. They are nocturnal animals, so naturally, they were asleep. They were curled up together so tightly that one might think there was only one animal. Another protective behavior? Most likely this is the only sloth sighting we'll have in Costa Rica. But who knows. We still have almost three weeks here.

Two sleeping sloths. La Paz.

 

Monkeys

Next on the trail is the Monkey Pass.

Entrance to the monkey exhibit, La Paz.

There are two species of monkeys here - Spider Monkeys and White-faced Monkeys. They are fun to watch but hard to photograph through the wire mesh of the enclosure.

Spider Monkey, La Paz.

Spider Monkey at play, La Paz.

 

Hummingbird Garden

Moving on down the trail, we come to the Hummingbird Garden. La Paz claims to have 26 documented species of hummingbirds. They vary widely in size and coloration. We saw some tiny hummingbirds, no bigger than a large bumblebee, and some larger ones that were almost regular bird size. How many different kinds can you see in Bob's video?

Hummingbird ID Poster, La Paz.

Hummingbirds of La Paz. (Video)

 

Lunch at Colibries Restaurant

After the Hummingbird Garden, we skipped the next exhibit - the Serpentarium - and moved on to the Colibries Restaurant for lunch. (What is it about snakes that moved us both to pass this exhibit by? It's the only one we skipped!)

Our day pass to La Paz included lunch, and the lunch spot is located just about halfway down the trail we are on today - a good time for a break. A buffet lunch was served, and it was delicious. The ambience was delightful too.

Colibries Restaurant, exterior, La Paz.

Colibries Restaurant, interior, La Paz.

Bob at lunch, Colibries Restaurant, La Paz.

Bob and Connie, at lunch, La Paz. (We turned the camera on ourselves.) We're having a good time at this magical place - La Paz.

 

Jungle Cats

A short distance down the trail after lunch, we came to the newest exhibit in this nature park - The Jungle Cats. All these big cats can be found in Costa Rica, though they are all rare. Of all the caged animals here, we felt most sorry for the cats. They need their space in their natural habitat.

Cougar, La Paz.

Ocelots, La Paz.

Margay, La Paz.

Jaguar, La Paz. While the other cats in the enclosure seemed fairly mellow, this cat paced back and forth without pause. We found it hard to watch such an agitated animal.

 

Orchids

Though La Paz had a nicely set up orchid exhibit, very few of their many plants were in bloom. This is one, of a very few orchids, that was in bloom.
 
Frogs

Moving on down the trail, we came to a small exhibit on frogs. Though we had a guide for this exhibit, we were only able to spot about four different frogs. Some are very tiny and hide in crevices and deep inside plants. We did spot a few of these, thanks to the guide, but they were too small to capture in photos without a telephoto lens. Other larger frogs are so well camouflaged that they are hard to find, though our guide did find the tree frog below, hiding on the underside of a leaf.
 

Poster describing frogs in the exhibit. We did not see all these frogs.

Green Tree Frog hiding under a leaf, La Paz.

Casita de La Paz

The last building on the trail is the Casita de La Paz. This house and farm buildings comprise an exhibit about farm life in Costa Rica a hundred years ago. The exhibit included an oxcart and two oxen, which was available for short rides or photography. But we were running out of time and could not linger here. We had half an hour to complete the waterfall trail which, a sign informed us, would take 45 minutes.
 

Casita de La Paz, house and outbuildings, La Paz.

Casita de La Paz. Reproduction of a 100-year-old farmhouse.


Surprise! An Animal in the Wild

Just as we were leaving the Casita area and were about to descend the steep waterfall trail, I spotted a pair of animals who were not part of the exhibits. They moved fast, and this was the only shot I got. I was not close enough to identify them, but from the guidebooks, I am guessing they were either coatis or tayras. They crossed our path again after we were on the waterfall trail, but quickly got away from us. It was exciting to see an exotic animal like this in the wild.
 


Waterfalls

Now it was time to boogie, in order to meet our driver, Walter, at 2:00 pm, as we had agreed. We didn't think we had time to take the waterfall trail, but we also didn't want to miss the main feature of the La Paz Waterfall Gardens, so we went for it and hoped we wouldn't be too late.
The trail would take us way down deep into the ravine. It was a very steep downward trail with many twists and turns, and it was quite a while before we got to the river and the series of waterfalls. We were grateful that the trails were built well and with good handrails. And we were also grateful that though we were in a cloud forest, it was not raining, and the walkways were not wet and slippery. It was wonderful being in the rainforest, and a little eerie too, for a while. For the longest while, we did not encounter anyone else on the trail - not until we were almost at the end.
 

Bob at the beginning of the steep waterfall trail, La Paz.

When we got to the first big waterfall, Bob stopped to make a video.

This is the waterfall he is photographing. Magia Blanca Waterfall, La Paz.

What a spectacular sight! We linger here, even though we are running late. Enjoy the video.

 

We tore ourselves away from this awesome sight and headed along the trail to the spot where we would take a shuttle bus back up the mountainside to the parking lot. When all was said and done, we were only ten minutes late. Tico time!

What a great day - I loved every minute of it!